NHS event in Bury St Edmunds to ask public what spirituality means to them

27/09/2012

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​Members of the public are invited to an NHS event in Bury St Edmunds next week about how spirituality and personal identity should be included in recovery from mental illness.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is holding an event on 4 October at Moreton Hall Community Centre to gain feedback on how the public see spirituality fitting into the health care services it provides and how it influences a person’s sense of self.

Robert Nesbitt, Trust secretary, said: “Spirituality doesn’t just mean religion. The Trust defines it as the influences on a person’s view of the world, their place in it and how they interact with it. Not everyone sees spirituality as part of their identity but for those who do it can help them make sense of a breakdown and contribute to their recovery."

The event will be at 2nd Half-Hall, Moreton Hall Community Centre, Symonds Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 7EW between 9am and 1pm. People should register their attendance by calling 01603 421104 or emailing robert.nesbitt@nsft.nhs.uk. Light refreshments will be provided.

“The consultation event is a chance for people to get involved in identifying what the Trust’s priorities should be in regard to spirituality, and who should be involved in delivering the care that meets a patient’s spiritual needs," Robert added.

“The NHS has changed a lot over the past decade and we need to think about how spirituality fits into a modern mental health service. Developing a spirituality strategy will help us to clarify what the role of spirituality means in regards to mental wellbeing, improve service users’ experiences and improve our joint working with the communities that we serve.”